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Sinnoh Series Episode 8
Plot Jonathan, Benjamin, and Gregory are running into a city, multiple large buildings seen, but none of them nearly as large as the skyscrapers in Jubilife City. As they get closer, energy can be clearly seen pulsating in thin lines on the majority of the buildings. The sun is high in the sky, gradually sinking. The trio arrive at the gates, stopped by a duo of officers, one a dark skinned female and the other a tanned male. Male Officer: Sirs, we'll need to see some identification. Jonathan: Officer, please, my Pokemon are really injured! I need to get to the Pokemon Center as soon as possible! Male Officer: Sorry, but rules- Female Officer: How badly are they injured? The male officer seems annoyed at his partner's interference, but doesn't stop her. Ben: Very injured. There was a Rhyperior in Oreburgh Cave and it really messed up his Pokemon. Ours got off a bit better, but... It was pretty bad. Male Officer: Oh come on, do you seriously expect us to believe- Greg: He's telling the truth, officer. Gregory pulls out his lab ID card, his brother quickly following suit. Female Officer: So you're- Greg: Gregory Rowan, son of the current Pokemon League Champion, current authority of Pokemon evolution, former owner of the Pokemon Lab in Sandgem. Ben: Benjamin Rowan, son of the Champion, former assistant at the Pokemon Lab in Sandgem, brother of Gregory Rowan. We have been accompanying this trainer since we left Sandgem, and can confirm that he is telling the truth about Rhyperior. The two officers glance at each other, worry showing on their faces. Female Officer: Alright, come on, I'll take you to the Pokemon Center. I'm Officer Johanson, by the way. My partner is Officer Clint. Jon: Thank you, officers. And thank you too, Ben and Greg. Officer Clint: This is very concerning. A Rhyperior in Oreburgh Cave... We have to notify the League authorities. Newer trainers could be killed if they journey alone and encounter an aggressive Pokemon like that. Ben appears as though he's about to say something, but Gregory shoots him a look, causing him to stop. Officer Johanson: Come on, into the car! Gregory hops in the passenger seat while his companions get into the back. Officer Johanson starts up the car and speeds towards the Pokemon Center, swerving through lanes with her sirens on. She skids in front of it, the tires making loud squealing sounds. She hops out of the car, breathing excitedly, her long black hair messed up from the wind. Officer Johanson: Alright, we're here! The others get out, visibly shaken by the fast ride. Officer Johanson: No lollygagging, into the Center, now! They hurriedly follow after her, rushing up to Nurse Joy. Jonathan hands her two of his Poke Balls. Nurse Joy: Young man, that's very- Jonathan: I'm sorry, but they're really, really hurt! If they're not treated, they may die! Nurse Joy: I-I see. Chansey, come here! The large, pinkish blob Pokemon hurries over, looking at its owner inquisitively. Nurse Joy: Take these two Pokemon to the back room and begin setting up healing procedures. Got it? Chansey: Chan, Chansey! It does a sort of salute to Nurse Joy, carrying the Poke Balls to the back. Jonathan follows them until they reach the doors to the back room, where he's forced to stay back by Nurse Joy. Jonathan: Are they going to be okay? Nurse Joy: We'll do everything we can, but... I can't make any promises. The Poke Balls open, casting Sneasel and Chimchar onto separate cots. Chansey visibly cringes at the sight of Sneasel. Being in the Poke Ball slowed the bleeding and allowed it to heal slightly, but the Pokemon is completely unconscious from the pain. Chimchar is in better condition, though still seeming to be in a fair amount of pain. Nurse Joy: Oh my! This is going to take a lot of work. I'm sorry, but I can't allow you back in these rooms. Here. She hurriedly pulls out a key, handing it to Gregory. Nurse Joy: You can all have that room. I'm not sure how long this will take, but... It'll probably go into the morning. Before anyone can respond she walks into the back room, the doors automatically closing behind her. Jonathan: Chimchar... Sneasel... Ben: I'm sure they'll be fine. They're in good hands. Despite his confident words, his voice has a slight hint of worry. They go up to the room, sitting down in silence as doubts began to gnaw at Jon again. Jon: Sneasel's heavily injured and Chimchar's pretty banged up too. If they had've just not listened to me... Would they have been better off? Should they have done what Shinx did and just... Not obeyed me? Greg suddenly stands up, startling the trainer out of his thoughts. Gregory: We might as well go do something, there's no point in just sitting arround! The others scramble up, confused. Ben: Where exactly do you plan for us to go? His brother turns around, grinning. Greg: The Oreburgh Mine, of course! Jon: Even with the bad accident? It probably won't be open to the public, you know. Greg: True, buuuut... There's an awkward, silent pause. Greg: You were supposed to say "but what?" Anyways, I'm sure it'll be open to people working for the Sandgem Lab to investigate. And since I'm sort of somewhat the professor there- Ben: But you're not? Greg: Technicalities, technicalities. He makes a waving motion with his hand before continuing. Greg: Anyways, since I can say I'm the Professor from Sandgem, and prove it with my ID, I can get us in for an investigation into what may have caused it. Ben: That... Might actually work. Good idea, Greg. The young man grins, ruffling his younger brother's hair. Gregory: Of course it's a good idea, I came up with it doofus! Jonathan watches as the two brothers play around, shoving each other lightly. He feels a slight ache of homesickness, remembering how his father had done similar activities with him when he was younger. But that was a long time ago. The two brothers stop, looking at Jon. Ben: Hey, Jon, you okay man? Jon: Huh? O-Oh, yeah, I'm fine! Greg: Well then, what are we waiting for? To the Oreburgh Mine! They rush out, Jonathan trailing slightly behind. The run prevents him from getting too caught up in his thoughts as he weaves in and out of the flow of people. It's much sparser than in Jubilife, a change he appreciates. The trio arrive at the pathway to the mine, gasping as they see an image of destruction ahead. Large beams of charred wood lie around the area, multiple pieces snapped. The entrance is rugged and very large. Rough support beams are seen, seemingly put recently. The rock around the entrance is completely black, and multiple wrecked vehicles are seen, presumably having been carriers for the coal. Jon: So much destruction... Ben: All because of one accident. Greg: It's terrible that anything like this could happen in this world. They approach a man that's directing a flow of work vehicles on a large trail. The vehicles are picking up the scraps of wood and work vehicles. The man turns around as they approach, seeming tired. His eyes are red from lack of sleep, and the man seems to be trying to force himself to stay awake. Man: What do you kids want? Greg: We're here on official bus- The man holds up his hand, cutting Greg off. He rubs a temple with the other hand, groaning. Man: You know what, I don't care. If you want to go in, just do it. It really doesn't matter at this point. Greg: Oh. Uh, thanks, I guess? He seems a bit deflated that he didn't get to use his idea, but at least they got permission. They all walk in, grimacing at the sight of the walls being covered in scorch marks. Jon: Can you imagine it? All of that energy that's packed into a Cosmo Energy line being unleashed in a coal mine? Ben: I don't think I want to even begin to imagine the terror that must've gone through their minds when it happened. Jonathan: This is the stuff of nightmares. Gregory: The kind of stuff that hasn't happened in over two decades. He receives a glance from his brother, but the conversation falls silent as they hear a call for help. They begin running towards the voice, pain clear in the screams. When they arrive they can only gasp. A support beam has fallen onto thewo man's legs, completely immobilizing her lower body. She's trying to lift it, but it's far too heavy. Jon: We have to help her! Greg: Thanks for pointing out the obvious. Let's go, Tangela! Tangela pops out, ready to assist. Ben: Okay, we have to work together, all of us lifting at the same time. Ready? Everyone nods and reaches for the beam. Tangela wraps two vines around it, ready to lift. Ben: On the count of three. One, two... Three! They all lift as hard as they can, moving the beam up slightly. The woman below the beam sighs in slight relief, the weight still there, but far less pressing. The boys are already sweating, and Tangela is clearly struggling. Jon: Can't... Hold it... For much... Longer! They're forced to let go, gently reapplying the pressure to the woman. She screams, tears rolling down her cheeks. Worker: P-Please, just help me! Greg: It's no good, we need more help! Jon, we need Munna, now! Jon reaches for Munna's Poke Ball but stops, doubt at the corner of his mind. His fingers tremble above the Poke Ball, prompting Greg to yell. Greg: What the hell are you waiting for? We need Munna's help! Jon: I... I don't- Ben: Jon, for the love of Arceus, just send out the damn Pokemon! He reluctantly nods, grabbing the Poke Ball and pressing the button, forcing it to open and release Munna. The floral-patterned Pokemon looks at the situation and nods to the others. Ben: Okay, again, on the count of three... One, two... Three! They all begin lifting, groaning from the exertion. Munna's eyes glow blue as the beam is enveloped in a blue aura, and it cries out as it attempts to lift the beam as well. It slowly rises up, the Psychic power from Munna helping out greatly. The worker pulls herself away from the beam, crying from the pain. They let the beam down, the wood splintering as it hits the ground hard. Munna falls to the ground in exhaustion, clearly having done most of the work. Jonathan: Oh no, Munna... He sends her back to the Poke Ball, looking concerned. Tangela retreats to his Poke Ball as well. They're all silent for a few seconds before Gregory suddenly shoves Jon backwards, causing him to stumble and fall. Greg: What the absolute hell were you thinking back there Jonathan?! Jon: I- Greg: You endangered this poor woman's life because you weren't willing to send out Munna! Why was that, Jon? Why? Jonathan: Greg, I- Greg: You know what, save it. You can stay on your ass as long as you want, you're about as useful doing that as you were then. He turns and walks away, leaving Jon sitting on his ass, disbelief on his face. Ben: He's just upset. He'll get over it. But... You do need to react quicker. What happened back there, Jonathan? I haven't known you very long, but you didn't seem like the type to falter when it came to action. They're both silent, but Ben shakes his head. Ben: If you need to talk, let me know. For now, I'm going to go find Greg and see if I can find someone to help get this woman out of here. You can come with me if you want, but I get the feeling you don't. He walks away, leaving Jonathan to sit alone. He glances at the woman, noting that she seems to be unconscious now. Jonathan: I hesitated. If I had've continued to hesitate, continued to do nothing... She'd be in a worse condition now. Probably still alive, though... Right? ...Is this why Shinx didn't listen to me? Did he realize I was a coward before even I did? When I tried to be brave it injured two of my partners, and now Munna... Well, Munna's just exhausted, thankfully. Footsteps snap him out of his thoughts. He looks forward, scrambling back up. Jonathan: Who's there? Show yourself! A laugh echoes from the darkness, though doesn't seem to be malicious. ???: Sorry, I didn't realize anyone else was here. A man steps out of the shadows, seeming to be in his mid 40s to early 50s. He has dull orange hair and a mining suit on, a hardhat on his head. ???: Whoa, kid, you alright? You seem a bit- He glances to his left and notices the worker. Jon: My friends went to get help. I... I stayed behind to make sure she stayed safe. It was a lie, and he had a feeling the man could tell. However, if he could, he didn't call Jonathan out on it. Instead he nodded, looking at Jon again. ???: There's something wrong, isn't there? Startled, he just shakes his head. The man chuckles, holding his chest with one hand. ???: Boy, you are a ''really ''bad liar. You can't even lie with a simple gesture! Now, come on kid, tell me what's wrong. Jon: I... I'm worried. ???: About what, exactly? Jon: I'm worried that I'm a bad trainer. That... That my Pokemon are going to fail because of me. That I'm... That I'm going to fail them, and end up with them getting injured or worse... Tears start rolling down his cheeks as he sobs slightly, unable to contain his emotions anymore. He falls to his knees. his hands on the ground. Jonathan: I'm worried that because of me, my Pokemon are going to die, that I won't be able to help them. That other people will be injured because of me, because I'm too weak to do anything. My Pokemon have already suffered because of me, and one of them outright refused to listen to me because of how awful of a trainer I am. And it... It just proves the doubts I have to be true. I'm not a good trainer, I can't protect them, and when it comes to taking action, I just... I just stop. Out of fear that I'll screw it up so badly that something unfixable will happen. He stops speaking, sobbing uncontrollably. The man approaches him and puts a hand on his shoulder, causing him to look up. ???: Kid, things happen in this world. Bad things. Things that you and others will regret for a lifetime. People and Pokemon will get hurt, and there is no way to stop it. The world can be a dark place. Everyone suffers eventually. But if all you look for is what's wrong, you're never going to see what's going right. Jonathan's sobbing slows, and the man continues. ???: I don't know who you are, or what you've been through. But a dear friend of mine went through a crisis similar to yours a long time ago. Hell, I experienced what you're feeling when I was younger. But the important thing is to not let it overwhelm you. You have to prove to yourself that you have what it takes to overcome these challenges. And you have to understand that you are never alone. Your Pokemon will always be by your side. Don't pin all of the blame on yourself. Ask them if they blame you, and ask them if they think you're such a bad trainer. Never assume you know how they feel. Pokemon are complex beings, just like humans. They have their own thoughts, their own feelings. He's silent as Jonathan's sobbing stops. He sniffles a bit, wiping his nose and his eyes. He stands up, the man helping pull him up. Jonathan: Thank you. I... I'll remember that. And I'll ask them. I really needed this, Mr....? ???: Oh, I guess I never did introduce myself. He grins, pointing to himself with his thumb. ???: The name's Roark, but you can call me the Oreburgh City Gym Leader! Jonathan: My name's Jonathan. You're the Gym Leader here? Roark: Yep! I've been here for a long time. A very, very long time... He snickers, but shakes his head. Roark: But that's beside the point. Jonathan, you said you're a trainer? Jon: Oh, uh... Yeah. Roark: So I guess you were planning to challenge my gym? He puts a hand behind his head, scratching nervously. Jonathan: Yeah, but... I was considering stopping and turning back home before you gave me that pep talk. Roark: Fantastic! The gym will be open from 9AM to 9PM tomorrow. I expect you to be there to challenge me, Jonathan. Jon: Of course, sir! The man laughs, patting Jon on the shoulder. Roark: Now that's the spirit. You go on and rest, I'll make sure the woman gets proper medical care. Jonathan: Thank you. I'll be there tomorrow to challenge you. If... He falters for a second, remembering Sneasel and Chimchar. Jonathan: If my partners are healed by then. Roark: If they aren't, I understand. I'll see you when you're ready. The boy turns and runs out of the mine, leaving Roark to sigh and shake his head. Roark: That boy reminds me so much of Lucas. Can't believe I had to use that speech again. He turns, laughing as Jonathan runs out. He glances at the worker, who seems to be in a stable condition. He picks her up and begins carrying her out, walking slowly. The camera cuts to Jonathan as he walks into the Pokemon Center, immediately finding Nurse Joy. Jonathan: Are they- Nurse Joy: They're both in stable condition and will be fully healed by the end of the night. They'll get plenty of rest tonight and be ready for travel tomorrow! He breathes a sigh of relief, his shoulders sagging slightly. He perks back up, grinning wildly. Jonathan: Thank you so much Nurse Joy, I'll pick them up tomorrow morning! Nurse Joy: Sounds great. Rest well! Jonathan: I will! He runs up the stairs and into his shared room, noting that it's empty. He lays on his bed, sighing happily as the camera fades to black.